Royal Family gather for Easter service at Windsor

NEIL LANCEFIELD

Members of the Royal Family were led by the Queen at the traditional Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle yesterday.

A crowd of well-wishers gathered outside St George’s Chapel to see the royals as they arrived for the Matins service on a cold March morning.

The Queen, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, wore a long pale pink coat and matching hat, accessorised by a flower.

Princess Eugenie wore a cream dress and hat with a black coat, while her sister, Princess Beatrice, wore a turquoise dress and coat, with a yellow hat. Their father, the Duke of York, was also at the service.

Hymns sung during the hour-long service, conducted by Dean of Windsor, the Rt Rev David Conner, included A Brighter Dawn Is Breaking and Jesus Christ Is Risen Today.

The Queen was presented with posies of flowers by children as she left the chapel.

Five-year-old twins Holly and Poppy Alden were chosen as their father, Ben, sings in the chapel’s choir.

“I said ‘happy Easter Your Majesty’ and did a curtsey,” Poppy said.

Daniel Phillips, seven, travelled to Windsor from Cornwall with his brother and their parents. “I gave her my flowers and she said ‘thank you very much’. I was nervous because she’s the Queen,” he said.

William Denman, four, from Newport, said he was “excited” about giving flowers to the monarch.

After the service, the Queen and Prince Philip smiled towards the crowd of well-wishers as they left by car.